Machine for cutting metal-sheathed sheets



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, C. B. NORRIS MACHINE FOR CUTTING METAL SHEATHED SHEETS Filed March l2. i924 3 Sheets-Sheet a 51'/ "r'fr A fj! arch c. B. NoRRls HACHINE FOR CUTTING METAL SHEATHED SHEETS Filed March 12. 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Nm.. ,PU

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I IIIAWM Patented Mar. 1, 1927. i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES B. NORRIS, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO HASKELITE MANU- FACTURING CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING METAL-SHEATI'IED SHEETS. Application filed March 12, 1924. Serial No. 698,640.

In the fabricating f panels of libre, wood, table. Meshing with these rack bars are pinor plywood, or of either of these materials ions .6, @fixed upon a transverse shaft 7, exsheathed with thin metal, it is desirable to tending across the frame underneath the table. provide means for cuttinga panel simul- This sliaft is Journaled in standards or pedtaneously along a plurality of perfectly estals 8, rising upwardly at opposite sides sti-aight parallel lines. Such lines need not of the frame about midway between the ends extend entirely through either or both of of the latter. The shaft 7 may be driven the opposed edges of a panel, as for ex- 1n any suitableway as long as it is adapted ample, in the case of a panel in which it to rotate first in one direction and then in 10 is desired to form a door opening or the like. the other so as to cause the table to recipro- The object of the present invention is to Cate. 'In the arrangement shown, there is produce a simple and novel machine for a driving shaft 9 hung in bearings dependquickly and accurately cutting into or ing from a heavy cross-beam 10, located bethrough a panel along any desired number lOW the shaft 7 and forming part 0f the of parallel lines extending throughout any main frame, the cross-beam being connected desired portion of the length or width of at ltS ends t0 the pedestals. On the shaft a panel and either through the edges or to 9 1S a double pulley device 11, which, my desired points remote from the edgesthrough the use of a straight and a crossed The various features of novelty whereby belt, permits the shaft to be driven in either my invention is characterized will hereindireotlon. A tram of gearing, beginning after be pointed out with particularity in with a pinion 12 on the driving shaft 9, and the claims; but :tor a full understanding of ending in a large gear wheel 13, on the shaft my invention and of its objects and advan- 7, serves to transmit the motion of the shaft tages reference may be had to the following 9 t0 the other shaft. detailed description taken in connection with The upper ends of the pedestals are bound the accompanying drawings, wherein: tOgftllQI' by a transverse box girder 14, Figure 1 is a top plan View of a machine whichis preferably provided with rollers 15, arranged in accordance with my invention; engaging. witl1 the top of the table above Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine; the driving pinions 6, to hold the same Fig. 3 is an end view on alarger scale than ClOWIL O11 the front and rear sides of the Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4 is a section on a still CIOSS member 14, are supported rock shafts larger scale taken approximately on line 16, 16 011 Whloh Cutting elements are mount- 4f-4 of either Fig. 3 or Fig. 6; Fig, 5 is ed. These rock. shafts should be supportec a section taken approximately on line 5-5 not only. at their ends but also at interme of Fig 7 5 Fig, 6 is and end View of a. frag diate points in order to prevent them fron ment of the machine on a larger scale, the being Sprung during the cutting Operation scale being the same as that of Figs. 4 and and thus preventing the cutting from being 5, the table and the work thereon being accurately done. Since it is desirable to b shown in section; Fig. 7 is a section taken able t0 make cuts along any longitudinal lin on line 7-7 of Fig. 6; and Fig. 8 is a secon the table, it is advisable that the bearing tional view illustrating a detail of the drivfor the rock shafts be adjustable transversf ing means for the t-able. ly of the table in order that they will nc Referring to the drawings, 1 represents interfere with the proper positioning of th a long base or frame having on the top cutting elements. The rock shafts may l thereof two parallel rails 2, 2 extending and preferably are alike and interchangw lengthwise thereof, the rails being at opable and therefore only one need be d` posite sides of the frame. Mounted on these scribed. In the arrangement shown ea( rails is a traveling table 3, conveniently suprock shaft has four bearings. Each bea ported by means of wheels 4, resting on the ing comprises a block 17, behind which li rails. If the rails are made accurately para plate 18, fastened thereto by means i allel with each other and the wheels 4 are studs 19, extending through the block fro flanged, as shown, the flanges and the rails will the front of the latter. Each block has t cooperate to prevent sidewise motion of the rear or inner end reduced in vertical thic table. On the under side of the table are two ness so as to form wth the correspondi long rack bars 5, one near each side of the plate a. pair of transverse grooves 20,

ment shown, they take extending across the saine on the upper and underside respectively. The bearing blocks with their plates Vtits slidably between trans` verse guides 2Q, 23 Fixed to the correspond ing side or tace ot the transverse beam lt, each guide having a lip 2st, titting into one et the grooves in the block; the lips being` slightly thicker than the widths et the grooves measured in the direction et the length oit the table so that when the studs are tightened the lips are clamped between the plate 18 and the block rigidly to attach the bearing block to the guides. When one et the bearings is to be shifted, the studs are simply loosened and the bearing may then be slid along the guides to its new position.

The cutting elements may he of any usual or suitable type or types.

.ln the arrangethe. `t'orni et knives fixed to the rock sha'li'ts and adapted to remain stationary while the table is carrying the work past them. rl"he cuttii'ig elements must be adjustable lengthwise ot the rock sliaits ii1 the machine is to be adapted to cut along any desired lines ruiming lengthwise of the table. ln the. arrangement shown, each blade holder con ts ol a block 25, bored at one end to receive the corresponding rock sha'tt and cause. the block to be a sliding .lit on the shatt. ltlach rock shalt has a keyway 26, extending lengthwise oit the saine. .llaeh bleek has a keyway 2T, registering with that in the corresponding shaft. A short key Q8, tits into the registering keyways so as to leek the bleek against turning' movement on the shaft, while permitting the block te be slid along the shaft. A set screw 2S), passes through the block in- Jo engagement with the key. llilhen the set Screw is tightened, it locks the holding bleek :o the shat't and keeps it troni being dis- )laced troni any position into which it may rave been adjusted. lilacli blade holder has n the outer side a deep central slot 30, aranged at right angles to the shatt, into vhieh a cutting blade 3l, adapted to tit. The blade held .in place by nieans ot a ilate 32, extending across the slot and deichably secured to the holdingblock. rihe arts are preferably so proportioned that ie blade may be nu *ed lengthwise et' its iat in the helder, even when the plate 52, in position; a set screw 33. carried by the late being provided in a position to engage itli the edge oit the body portion et' the ade to clamp it in a lined position. llilith iis arrangement only a single screw need i loosened in order to perniit the blade to i adjusted in its holder. It is desirable that the supports for the ades be very rigid. The means, heretore described tor mounting the rock shafts, snres rigidity in the vertical direction. order to insure rigidity in a direction transverse to the table, I have provided ineens adapted te engage with the lower ends et the blade holders, when the holders are swung down into a working position as shown in Figs. t5 and 7, and interlock the holders with the rigid -trame werk. To this end, .l have mounted on each et the. lower rails or guides 23, a series et heads l'ft, that may be slid lengthwise et these guides or be rigidly fastened thereto in any positions into which they may be brought, by means et set screws or other suitable holding means. Each ot these heads has in its outer tace a vertical channel 3G just wide enough to receive and embrace the inner edge ot one et the blade holders when the latter is swung into its working position. lly this means, each blade holder may be tirinly held against: chattering in the direction transverse to the table while a cutting operation is being performed.

Each rock shaft is provided with a radial handle 3T, by means of which it may be swung from an idle position, as indicated on the lett hand side ot' Figs. l and 2, into a 'working position such as indicated on the right hand side et Figs. i and 2 and also in Figs. (i and 7.

In using the machine, a panel to be cut is placed on the table, the panel as a whole be ing indicated at A in the. drawings. As inany knives as there are cuts to be made along parallel lines are properly adjusted on one et the rock shafts. .lt the cuts are to extend through one edge et the panel, the table and the werk may initially be so positioned that when the rock shaft with its, knives is swung into its working position, the knives will not engage with the panell until the panel is moved into them by thci table; the table being then caused to travelt until the ends et the cuts to be made have.1 been reached. In the event that the eurst are to begin within an end edge ot' the panel, j the work is so positioned, betere the rock i110 shaft is swung' into its working positioint that the knives will strike the work at the;E points where the cuts are to begin, when the rock shatt is bronght inte its working;v position. It will be seen that it is unnece.. itll sary initially to torce the knives into th j work as t'ar as they will go. by the manualfl operation ot the rock sliat't, because the; work will complete the d wnward swingingt inoveu'ient of the knives as the work :1d-i120 vances underneath the same. Tn otherpi words, the work, as viewed in Fig. 7. travels from let't to right while the knives carried by the rock sha'tt there illustrated are doing` the cutting. The knives may be set to 125 cut parts through the work or entirely through the saine. Furthermore, one set et knives may be set to make a partial cut as the table travels in one direction, the other set et knives entering these partially conipleted cuts and completing them during the return movement of the table. Furthermore, panels that are short enough may be ,turned on the table through any desired angle, so as to permit them to be out along two sets of lines at an angle to each other. Thus, for example, a square or rectangular piece may be cut out of the body of a panel. Many other ways of using the machine will suggest themselves.

In order that the table need not be made unduly heavy in order to afford the desired rigidity of support to the panel, supporting rollers 40, or other anti-friction devices may be arranged beneath the table directly below the transverse lines on which the knives are located; these additional supporting devices resisting any tendency of the table to be deflected outwardly.

Althoughthe table may be held againstJ lateral movement by cooperation of flanged wheels with the supporting rails, a simpler expedient is to act on the table in the Zone underlying the cutting elements where the need for extreme accuracy is greatest. This may conveniently be accomplished, as shown in Fig. 8, by providing one of the pinions 6 with flanges 60, engaging with the sides of the rack bar 5. Therefore, if the rack bar is machined so as to be perfectly straight, the lines on which the cuts are made will also be perfectly straight. Both expedients may of course be employed in order to prevent one end of the table from being accidentally pushed sidewise, particularly when the other end is under the cutters.

It will thus be seen that I have produced a simple and novel machine which, although comparatively light, possesses great rigidity so that sheets or panels may be cut accurately and rapidly along any desired number of lines of any desired length.

While I have illustrated and described with particularity only a single preferred form of my invention, I do not wish to limit myself to the details so illustrated and described; but intend to cover all forms and arrangements that come within the definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims.

I cla-im:

l. In a machine of the character described, a table, a member extending across the table at some distance above the same, rock shafts on opposite sides of said member extending across said table and parallel therewith, the rock shafts being arranged to rock independently of each other, cutting elements on said shafts construct-ed and arranged to be movable between working and idle positions by the rocking of said shafts, and mgans for producingirelative,movements between-said table aridadllgmber.

2. In a machine of the character described, a table, a member extending across the table at some distance above the same, means for producing relative reciprocating movements between said member and the table in the direction of the length of the latter, and groups of cutting` elements mounted on opposite sides of said member so as to be movable independently of each other between working positions and idle positions.

3. In a machine of the character described, a reciprocable table, two parallel rock shafts extending across and parallel with the table and movable independently of each other, and cutting elements mounted on said shafts and adapted to be moved from and toward the table when said shafts are rocked.

fi. In a machine of the character described, a table, a member extending across the table at some distance above the same, a rock shaft mounted on said member parallel with said table, holders for cutting elements secured to said rock shaft, and said member having jaws positioned to receive the lower ends of the holders and support the holders against movement laterally of the table when the rock shaft is moved to place the holders in a cutting position.

5. In a machine of the character described, a table, a member extending across the t-able at some distance above the same, a rock shaft extending along said member at the side thereof, bearings for said rock shaft mounted on said member so as to be adjustable lengthwise of the shaft, and holders for cutting elements mounted on said shaft so as to be adjustable along the latter.

6. In a machine of the character described, a table, a member extending across the table at some distance. above the same, a rock shaft extending along said member at the side thereof, bearings for said rock Shaft mounted on said member so as to be adjustable lengthwise of the shaft, holders for cutting elements mounted on said shaft so as to be adjustable along the latter, and devices mounted on said member below said shaft so as to be adjustable lengthwise of the shaft,

'said devices having seats to engage with said holders in one position of the shaft and prevent the holders from being displaced in the lateral direction.

7. A. machine of the character described, comprising a table, a member arranged above and spaced apart from the table, means for producing relative movements between said member and the table, guides on said member parallel with the table, bearings supported by said guides and adjustable along the same, a rock shaft mounted in said bearings, and holders for cutting elements mounted on said sha-ft so as to project radially therefrom and be adjustable along the same.

8. A machine of the character described, comprising a table, a member arranged above and spaced apart from the table,

means l'or producing relative movements between said member and the table, guides on said member parallel with the table, bearings supported by said -guides and adjustable along the same, a rock sha'tt mounted in said bearings, holders for cutting elements mounted on said shaft so as to project radially theret'rom and be adjustable along the same, and devices mounted on one ot said guides and adjustable along the saine lor engaging the holders when the latter are swung into their Working positions and steadying them.

9. A machine ol" the cha `aeter described. comprising amA base having long parallel tracks on the upper side, a table having rollers resting on said tracks, standards rising from said base above the table, a rigid cross beam connecting the upper ends ot said standards together, means lor moving said table back and 'lorth along said tracks, two rock shafts extending along said beam on opposite sides thereof, and holders i'or cutting elements mounted on said rock shaitt.

10. A machine of the character described, comprising a base having long parallel tracks on the upper side, a table having tomaat rollers resting on said tracks, standards rising' Ifrom said base above the table, a rigid cross beam connecting the upper ends of said standards together, means for moving said table back and 'lorth along said tracks, two roel( shafts extending along said beam on opposite sides thereof, holders ttor cutting elements mounted on said rock shaft, a rigid beam extending across the base below tlle upper beam and below said table, and antitriction supports tor the table on the beam below the saine.

ll. A machine olf the character described, comprising a trame, a table supported by and movable along said base. cutting elements supported by the frame and extending across the table above the latter, a rack bar extending lengthwise ot' the table, a toothed driving wheel engaged with said rack bar at about the vertical plane containing the cutting elements, and tlanges on said Wheel engaging with the sides of the rack bar to hold the table against lateral movement in the cutting zone.

ln testimony whereof, I sign this specilication.

CHARLES B. NORRIS. 

